Method for molding apertures in molded wood products

Abstract

A method is provided for forming a wood product comprised of wood flakes and binder intermixed therein, and including a hole or aperture molded into the product, the aperture including a densified, high strength periphery. The method includes the steps of providing a female die plate having a forming surface and a bore extending through the die plate, the bore converging in the direction away from the forming surface. A male die plate is also provided in opposed relation to the female die plate, the male die plate having a forming surface and a tapered forming member aligned with the bore in the female die plate. A mat comprised of wood flakes and intermixed binder is placed between the die plates, and the die plates are forced together to compress the mat between the forming surfaces, thereby forming a rigid composite body. The die plates also form a tapered aperture in the composite body, the tapered forming member and the complementary converging bore in the female die plate causing localized increased density of the periphery of the formed aperture.

I claim: 
     
       1. A method for forming a wood product comprised of wood flakes and binder intermixed therewith, the wood product including a hole therethrough, said hole having a densified periphery, the method comprising the steps of: (a) providing a female die plate having a forming surface and a bore through said die plate, said bore converging away from said forming surface,   (b) providing a male die in opposed relation to said female die plate, said male die having a forming surface and a forming member extending from said forming surface and aligned with said bore, said forming member having one end adjacent said forming surface and a free end, and said forming member tapering toward said free end,   (c) admixing a resinous particle board binder with thin, elongated flake-like wood particles,   (d) depositing said wood particles to form a loosely felted layered mat including a major plane, substantially all of said wood particles of the mat lying in planes generally parallel to the major plane of the mat and said particles in each of said parallel planes being randomly oriented with respect to each other,   (e) placing said mat of wood flakes and intermixed binder between said male die and said female die, and   (f) forcing said female die plate and said male die plate together to compress said mat to form a rigid composite body and to form a hole in the rigid composite body, said hole having a tapering configuration and a periphery comprised of material more dense than the remainder of the rigid composite body.